Sometimes the most indispensible things are the simple things. Case in point: tire repair kits. Nothing can ruin a ride like a flat tire and no repair kit, so be prepared.

Novara, REI's house brand for all things cycling, has an inexpensive and effective tire patch kit that contains rubber cement, sandpaper, five circular patches about 1.25" diameter, and two rectangular patches about 1.5" long. We used it to patch a tire on a Chariot carrier and it worked like a champ, even with our sloppy patching technique.

What it doesn't include are instructions. Even the Bike Repair App, which we like a lot, only includes instructions on replacing the tube, but nothing on an actual patch job. It's not difficult: inflate the tube and locate the leak; use the sandpaper to rough up an area slightly larger than the patch; smear some cement on the roughed up patch, and let it dry a few minutes until it's tacky to the touch; apply the patch and you're done.

Getting the right next-to-skin layer is the first, and maybe the most important, step before going out into the cold, cruel world. The higher output your activity, the more important it becomes. What if your chosen winter pursuits are both cold and aerobic? The answer is Polartec Power Dry.

REI's heavyweight long underwear has been redesigned with PPD, and the material is two-faced in a good way; the micro grid inner wicks efficiently and the smooth outer lessens energy-sapping friction with additional layers.

The heavyweight women's bottoms are snug and stretchy, with flat seams everywhere for maximum comfort. They are thick enough to provide ample insulation, thicker even than the men's equivalent. The only catch is the narrow waistband, which is so thin that even the flat seam there feels like it sticks out a bit. If that doesn't bother you, they'll keep you warm and dry in the cold, and the look is sufficiently conservative that you could wear them as an outer layer if you really feel the need to vent.

eVent is a rockin' material. It breathes like teenagers on prom night, weighs almost nothing and is tough enough to take the abuse dished out by you backcountry bumpkins. REI comes through for the ladies with the SheFlogger-approved Kulshan eVent pants, built to tackle pretty much anything.

The Kulshan is serious gear. Full separating water resistant side zips let the pants go on and off without removing your boots, and the rip-and-stick tabs that cover the zipper pull at your waist also adjust the sizing. There are belt loops if you want them, a front zip fly with a single snap closure, a zipped right-side thigh pocket and two zipped hand pockets. Powder cuffs have two-position snaps and rip-and-stick strips, and crampon patches protect your cankles.

The Kulshan moves easily thanks to the articulated knees, gussetted crotch and flat taped seams. On the left leg outside cuff is a nice feature, a Recco reflector that aids Recco detector-equipped searchers in locating your body. A lot of resorts have the detectors these days, especially in Europe, but it doesn't aid or interfere with normal avalanche transceivers. The Kulshan pants are a great deal for the price, and built to last. Be aware that the smallest size is a 4, which is a bit large for the five footers out there.

REI generally does yeoman's work with their packs. The Flash 65 is a solid, lightweight pack with plenty of features. We tested the women's model, which has contoured shoulder straps and waist belt and weighed in at just under 3lb for the small. The pack is available in small, medium and large sizes, and the top lid, framesheet and stays are removable to get down towards a 2lb ultralight setup.

The Flash 65 is a 65L/4,000ci capacity top loader and comes well appointed. The main compartment is very hydration friendly, with a bladder sleeve, hanging loop, dual clip hooks and exit ports for the tube on both sides. Other storage includes a spacious shovel pocket with a waterproof-zippered stash pocket on the outside, a top lid with a velcro map pocket underneath, two nested mesh pockets on each side, and a zippered camera-size mesh pocket on the right front waist belt.

Attachment points abound, including dual ice axe loops, tie-downs on the top lid, a compression strap for a rope or whatever on the top of the main compartment and straps on the bottom for a pad or tent. The pack carries quite comfortably, and adjusts well with one exception: the lumbar strap is too low and will squish your breasts like a salaryman copping a feel on the Tokyo subway. With a little creativity this can be altered, however, and you're left with a comfy, feature-rich, inexpensive and lightweight pack that will serve you well on multiday trips.

A duffel bag is so versatile. It holds gear, sex toys and body parts with equal efficiency. Just be sure to grab the right thing at the right time, if you know what I mean. The REI Duffel Bag is an excellent and inexpensive piece of kit that does a lot of things well.

REI put a lot of thought into what could have been an unremarkable bag. First off it comes in a zippered tote sack that doubles as a toiletry bag, with a hanging loop, two exterior compartments under a zipper and two mesh compartments on the inside. The duffle itself is a tough Cordura bag, stats for the medium: 12 inches in diameter and two feet long for almost 3,000ci capacity. It weighs in at 12.6oz minus the tote and included carrying strap, also nicely designed with wide 2in webbing and swiveling carabiner-style clips on each end. It has a beefy wrap around handle so go ahead and overload it.

So why is it Denali Approved? It was our sled bag last season, fitting perfectly in a cut-off 2/3 length kid's plastic sled. The medium size fit a tent (the pole length is the deciding factor), shovel, stoves and miscellaneous gear perfectly, with room behind it to tie in gas cans. The big plastic clip-in points for the strap have holes big enough to take a full-size carabiner for hauling. The dry weight of the whole sled, bag and cord haul system was under three pounds. The cut off edge on the back of the sled kept it from backsliding, and it could easily be slung over a pack for the technical sections. A great combination, easy on the legs and the pocketbook.

REI makes some great tents, and the award-winning Quarter Dome series features some stellar designs. New to the lineup is the T2 Plus, an extended size version of the two person T2 that is 10 inches longer, 3 inches wider and 1 inch taller for a grand total of 5.6 extra square feet of living area. It may not sound like much, but when you're cramming in extra gear, people or pets, or if you just want a little more room to move, it's noticable.

The T2 Plus is mostly mesh for a great view and ventilation, and at 4lb 13oz fully packed it's no bag of bricks on your back. It has a bathtub floor and a small area of fabric overhead. The pole system is one of the fancy new arrangements where the intersections have these little hubs so the whole thing deploys as a single unit. Just match the color-coded poles to the webbing and you're good to go; we set it up fast and easy first try following the instructions printed on the tent bag. The way the entries are set up the walls are almost vertical for extra headroom.

The interior space is very livable, with pockets in each corner and large identical doors on either side that store in their own pockets. The vestibule is a tad larger too, also handy for gear, pets and in-laws. Very cool: you can pitch both the tent and the fly stand-alone, use the latter for an ultralight shelter. Everything is included: 8 stakes, pole repair tube and guylines with tighteners. The Quarter Dome T2 Plus is clearly designed for backpackers by backpackers, and with the extra room the Plus model is sure to be a big hit.

A tent is like a garage. It's a place for your stuff. And stuff has to be organized, lest you roll your lardy posterior on top of your sunglasses. Tents come with all sorts of pockets these days, but it's always possible to use a couple more. Hence: REI Schwag Pockets.

These things have become indispensable tentmates. Their plastic hooks are just big enough to fit around most tentpoles so you can place them where they're most convenient. They're sized to fit a quart bottle, which means cameras, goggles, sunglasses, headlamps and all manner of other necessities fit easily and are kept handy and safe. They're mesh on one side so you can see the contents. And the cream on top: they've got a wire stiffener around the opening to keep it open for easy one-handed access.

It gets better: they're cheap, they come in a two-pack so you don't have to fight - and get your butt kicked by - the SheFlogger, and they weigh a single ounce for the pair. Just leave them in your tent when you roll it up. The REI Schwag Pockets are a dead-simple piece of gear that simply couldn't be better. Great stocking stuffer.

An old favorite, updated AND on sale: the REI Power Stretch Half Zip pullover is made from one of our absolute favorite materials, Polartec Power Stretch. This material wicks great, insulates great and provides just the right amount of wind and water resistance to use stand-alone, or pair with serious shells for expedition wear.

The Half Zip format is simply a must-have; it vents well yet zips up around the neck when the going gets cold and/or the action stops. REI has changed their Half Zip a few times in past years, not always for the better. The last iteration moved the pocket to the sleeve, always an awkward place to stash stuff. If they're smart, they'll leave perfect alone this time. The pocket is back on the chest, and they've kept the slightly longish sleeves with thumb holes, another favorite feature. New to the piece is a handy loop on the inside neckline for hanging it up.

The hem drops a little long in back, nice whether you're a tucker or not. The fit overall is close but not constricting, thanks to the four way stretch and appropriate for a base layer where you want as much material in contact with your skin as possible to get maximum wicking function. The Half Zip makes a great stand alone cold weather aerobic piece and layers great thanks to its trim fit and smooth finish. Reflective strips around the zipper and a reflective logo on the right rear shoulder round it out. Verstatile, cool colors and on sale too; two thumbholes up!

You can pick up the pace and we ain't talkin' salsa. REI's OXT Pace shirt has the oh-so-useful half-zip format we've come to love, and with one serious caveat, if you haven't tried half-zip pullovers the Pace could be a great introduction. It's a bit heavier than REI's Lightweight MTS long-sleeve zip-T for colder layering or lone-wear.

The caveat is this: the cut is really tight on the biceps, so you'll want to try this thing on first. I don't have the world's biggest guns but the Pace felt constricting and bunched up on my upper arms. If the cut works for you it has some nice extras that make it a great stand-alone piece: there are thumb-loops and an arm zipper pocket for small items. The loops are great for a little extra coverage on your hands when running or hiking, and they keep your cuffs down when pulling on gloves. The pocket has an interior headphone port.

The eminently breathable Pace has plenty of stretch thanks to the 9% Spandex weave and strategically placed pit gussets. There's a welcome bit of extra length in the hem and a full zip neck band with flap and zipper garage to protect your delicate neck-flesh. There's even a hang-loop inside, a nice bonus usually missing on these things. The Pace has reflective piping along the zipper and at the cuffs, but none on the back, so face into traffic or reap the WindStar.

Neo may be The One, but he's still a wanker. A computer geek wakes up one day and he's a superhero? Thank god he didn't have to work for it or anything. For those of us who do have to work for a living but need the occasional superpowers of breathability and weatherproofness, REI hooks us up with the One jacket.

I still have the original flavor of the One jacket in basic black from about six years back, and I've always appreciated its ability to go from business casual to backcountry competition without a hitch. The understated fashion plus high performance continues in the latest iteration, now featuring beefy Schoeller soft shell material for serious wind and water resistance. It sure doesn't hurt that the fit and finish are still top-notch without breaking the bank.

The One is set up in true minimalist fashion, with just what you need: high garrote-proof collar with soft brushed liner and chin guard, full-length zipper flap, drawcord hem and rip-and-stick cuffs. Pockets include one zippered exterior chest pocket with internal headphone port, two traditional low rear-opening zippered handwarmer pockets and an open large pocket on the inside low right. At the time this review was posted the online specs incorrectly list a zippered inner pocket that doesn't exist. The original also had the open inner pocket on both sides, but there's just the one on the new One. It's still the classiest, best-performing and most reasonably priced dual-purpose jacket out there.